Simon Harris

We can't.

There's a social cohesion point here, too.

And there's also another anomaly that since March 24, I think, any Ukrainian who arrives in Ireland gets 30 days accommodation.

And then, again, not being flippant, goes on their way, right?

Has a right to work and goes on their way.

only around 22% of people who are even coming in are taking up that offer.

So you now have some Ukrainians who are having to kind of go off into the rental market themselves, and you've other Ukrainians that since 2024 and before are living in rent-free state accommodation.

That's not fair, it's too expensive, and it's damaging to social cohesion.

We need to do this carefully.

We need to do it in a kind of transitionary way.

We need to engage, of course.

We need to protect any vulnerable people that may be there 100%.

So what we did this week was kind of, I suppose, announce a roadmap or a direction of travel.

And the Minister for Justice and Minister for Migration now will come to government with details on it over the next couple of weeks.

No, our intention is for it to remain the same.

I mean, we do need to have a conversation in Ireland, and this is maybe the next step, about how we regularise people from Ukraine who may wish to stay here after temporary protection.

And by the way, we may wish, we may as a country want and need many of them to stay.

Many people are really playing an important part in our economy, working in a whole variety of sectors.

But I would challenge anybody to tell me hand on heart that they think it's fair that somebody can live rent free effectively forever more in state accommodation.

No.